How to Compress PDF on Mac — Free Browser Tool
Overview
Mac users often rely on Preview to compress PDFs, but Preview's Reduce File Size filter can destroy image quality — sometimes producing blurry, unusable results. PDF Mavericks runs in Safari or Chrome on macOS and gives you precise control over compression levels. No download, no installation, and your file never leaves your Mac.
How to Use This Tool
Open pdfmavericks.com/compress in Safari or Chrome on your Mac. Click to upload your PDF or drag it onto the page. Select a compression level — Low preserves quality, High maximises size reduction. Hit Compress and download your smaller PDF. Most documents compress in under 10 seconds.
Ready to get started? It's free, no registration required, and your files never leave your device.
Compress PDF →Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Preview's Reduce File Size bad for PDFs?
Preview applies aggressive lossy compression to all images regardless of your quality needs. It can reduce a crisp PDF to a blurry mess. PDF Mavericks lets you choose the tradeoff.
Does this work on macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia?
Yes. The tool runs in any modern browser — Safari 16+, Chrome 100+, Firefox 100+ — all of which ship with macOS Ventura and newer.
Can I compress a PDF without installing anything on my Mac?
Yes. PDF Mavericks is fully browser-based. No download, no installer, no permissions needed beyond opening a browser tab.